The Model for Collecting Nationally Consistent Data on School Students with Disability
Developing a nationally consistent approach to collect data on students with disability is an important Council of Australian Governments (COAG) priority.
Nationally, there is little known about students with disability and what is known is inconsistent across states and territories and sectors.
The development of a nationally consistent approach for collecting data on students with disability will provide information about the diversity of the population of students with disability, how many students with disability there are, where they are and the level of adjustments provided for them to participate in schooling.
Nationally consistent information about school students with disability is necessary to:
- provide understanding about the cohort of school students with disability and whether they are provided with supplementary, substantial or extensive levels of adjustment;
- build an evidence base to better inform policy development at the national and jurisdictional level;
- enable the reporting of comparable data on students with disability on school profile pages on My School; and
- provide more information for parents and the community.
The collection of nationally consistent data about school students with disability does not affect the way in which students are currently assessed and funded in states and territories.
In 2008, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to work towards a nationally consistent approach to the collection of information on school students with disability. This approach took the form of a model developed under the guidance of an expert advisory group which met in 2010.
In November 2010, all Australian governments agreed to trial a model for collecting nationally consistent data on school students with disability who are provided with additional educational support.
Trial of the model for collecting nationally consistent data on school students with disability
In 2011, all Australian governments, the Catholic and independent education sectors have been working together to trial a model to gather comparable data about school students with disability and most importantly, the level of adjustment provided to students with disability.
The trial of the model for collecting nationally consistent data on schools students with disability was overseen by a national steering committee. This committee included representatives of state and territory education authorities, representatives from the Catholic and independent school sectors, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
The trial of the model occurred between May and July 2011.
The trial of the model took place in a nationally representative sample of 150 schools across Australia in each education sector in all states and territories. Participating schools were selected by the relevant education authority. Selected schools were fully supported throughout the trial process by their education authority and the national trial project manager.
PricewaterhouseCoopers was contracted by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) to support the conduct of the trial in schools and to write a report of the trial.
Report on the Trial of the Model for Collecting Nationally Consistent Data on School Students with Disability
The report is based on the sample of 149 schools that completed the data collection which formed the trial ‘sample’. The data collected during the trial is representative of the sample schools only.
There was a high level of school participation in, and engagement with, the trial. The trial found that with minimal training and tailored support, teachers found the model relatively easy to apply.
The report found that the model was valid, robust and suited to collect nationally consistent data on school students with disability.
- Report on the Trial of the Model for Collecting Nationally Consistent Data on School Students with Disability (
PDF 1.38MB | 
RTF 1.81MB)
Next steps
Education Ministers have agreed to develop a plan for the collection of nationally consistent data on school students with disability, following the successful trial that took place earlier this year.
A working group, chaired by DEEWR, will include representation of all jurisdictions, the Catholic and independent sectors and the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority.
The working group will collaboratively develop, by April 2012, a detailed plan to enable the collection of nationally consistent data on students with disability and the level of adjustment that is provided for them.
This information will address a significant gap in the national schools data set for this disadvantaged group of students.
Further information about the progress regarding the national implementation of data on school students with disability will be updated on this site.